>> I WAS ON TV TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN ALL PRACTICE BETTER DIALOGUE ACROSS DIFFERENCE WHEN NEWS OF ANOTHER POLITICAL ASSASSINATION CUT THE SEGMENT SHORT.

IT IS DEEPLY SAD.

THERE IS A HUMAN TRAGEDY, AS THERE IS EVERY TIME A PERSON DECIDES TO TAKE ANOTHER’S LIFE.

I AM SO SORRY FOR CHARLIE KIRK, HIS FAMILY, AND EVERYONE WHO CARED ABOUT HIM.

JUST AS I WAS AND AM STILL SO SORRY AND SO SAD FOR MELISSA AND MARK HORTMAN, THEIR FAMILY, AND THEIR FRIENDS, AND EVERYONE WHO LOVED THEM.

AND I AM SO DISMAYED THAT WE ARE SEEMINGLY MARCHING TOWARD THE NORMALIZATION OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE.

I DO NOT WANT THIS TO BE AN EVERGREEN MONOLOGUE.

I DON’T WANT A MESSAGE OF GRIEF AND DESPAIR BECAUSE A PERSON WAS KILLED FOR THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS TO BECOME ROUTINE, WHERE IT’S JUST THE NAMES AND PARTY THAT CHANGES.

WE CAN CHOOSE TO REVERSE THIS DOWNWARD PIRAL.

WE CAN ALL DECRY HEINOUS ACTS LIKE THIS ACROSS THE BOARD AND MAKE CLEAR WE DO NOT WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THIS IS EVER OKAY.

ONE SMALL YET MEANINGFUL THING THAT WE CAN ALL DO IS THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE DIVIDES AND LET THEM KNOW WE CARE ABOUT THEM.

YOU CAN DO THIS.

AND IT WILL MATTER.

IT WILL MATTER TO THAT PERSON AND IN A WAY IT WILL MATTER FOR ALL OF US.

WE ARE BIG ENOUGH AND STRONG ENOUGH TO BUILD BONDS BETWEEN OURSELVES WHERE OUR SHARED HUMANITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL.

AND I BELIEVE, I REALLY DO BELIEVE THERE IS ENOUGH GOOD AND THERE IS ENOUGH LOVE IN ALL OF US TO SHAPE A WORLD THAT IS DEFINED Y GOOD AND LOVE.

BUT WE GOTTA CHOOSE TO O THAT.

EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.